The Walking Dead: Michonne reinforces themes revealed by Rosita

“We’ve got no choice. We’ve got to keep moving forward,”

On the third episode of season 6 of The Walking Dead, Michonne reinforced themes about the show that Rosita revealed earlier this season in one of her lines. Rosita’s line, “This group. Abraham. This place. Make sure you got something worth dying for,” made clear the themes of survival and us vs. them taking on new meanings.

Michonne was center stage at times during this episode dealing with both of those themes in her words, her deeds, and her reactions and expressions. She is a leader in a quiet, wise, advisor capacity. She doesn’t speak much, but her words have power. Her expressions have power and her sword and her stance have power.

Like many quiet people, she is often misinterpreted. Quiet people are often misinterpreted as arrogant. Often misinterpreted as uncaring. Often misinterpreted as having nothing important to say.

Have you ever done things that made you feel afraid of yourself afterward?

Like many quiet people. She has a lot to say. Like many quiet people if she does talk, she’s deemed what she’s saying as really important. She doesn’t waste time with small talk. Like many quiet people she says a lot without saying anything.

Michonne. The Walking Dead – AMC /

Both themes were on display with her interactions with David. Things worth dying for, survival. Moving forward. Both David and Michonne were stuck at different times. Not moving. Not surviving. Just existing. People came into their lives that made them come back. These two people were not us and them anymore. The us and them of Alexandrian and our group is being stripped away. Us and them is going back to where it belongs. Human vs. Walker.

Michonne didn’t need to talk when it came to David. She listened. She understood. She supported. She said, “I do.” She wrote a message of hope on her arm. She met his gaze when he knew he was dying. He knew his Betsy would receive his message.

With Heath, she felt so empassioned, quiet Michonne made a speech. A beautiful speech. Through trembling lips and blinking eyes, she revealed her vulnerabilities. He needed to know. When a quiet person has something truly important to say, she will risk it. She will slay the victim with words.

"Because you haven’t had to do it any other way. You haven’t been through it. Have you ever done things that made you feel afraid of yourself afterward? Have you ever been covered in so much blood that you didn’t know if it was yours, or walkers’, or your friends’? Then you don’t know."

Something worth dying for. Us vs. Them. Two themes that have been weaved throughout The Walking Dead in all 6 seasons. This season the us vs. them has been shifting and intensifying. We are not fighting against the Alexandrians as much anymore. We are fighting to help them. We are fighting to help us.

In a crazy twisted way we need to help them with what we know to become like us but not to become us and we are trying not to become them, but we want to be able to have a place like they have so we don’t become worse than we’ve already become.

Whew. I don’t know if I could explain that again.

Next: Top 15 Reader-Chosen Dramatic Moments from Season 5

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